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 Catalyst UE 
Background Injuries to the upper extremity-especially the shoulder-can be very incapacitating. The shoulder is the most flexible and thusly most dislocated large joint. Dislocations, fractures, rotator cuff tears, instability, tendonitis, adhesive capsulitis, osteo- or rheumatoid arthritis, shoulder and elbow arthroscopy, and total shoulder or elbow arthroplasty involve significant recovery. U.S. Dept of Health and Labor Statistics 2001 show sprains and strains (45.3%) as the most common injury of the 1.5 million nonfatal injuries. Of the nearly 670,000 musculoskeletal disorders (MSD), 522, 500 involved missed time from work (mean 5-10 days), with the longest period involving the shoulder, at a median of 12 days off. Over 4 million office visits per year in the United States alone are for shoulder and elbow injuries. Rehabilitation and surgical intervention - including >200,000 shoulder and elbow arthroscopies - continue to keep pace with the increasing demands individuals continue to place on their bodies. This includes interventions necessary to address a rapidly aging population in developed countries, as joint diseases account for half of all chronic conditions in the elderly. The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics estimates $13-$20 billion in expenditures with time lost and compensation. U.S. costs of all musculoskeletal conditions are $300 billion, necessitating establishment of an internationally endorsed platform - the Bone and Joint Decade. As we continue to increase our life expectancy, in combination with epidemic proportions of Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle in the United States, the prevalence of such necessary procedures to restore function will continue to escalate. The impact of the abovementioned social dilemma on the upper extremity has prompted establishment of a rehabilitation device - the ROM3 Catalyst UE. Goals include minimizing obstacles in the treatment and rehabilitation process, while improving patient compliance with necessary exercise. By rapidly affecting passive, assisted active, and active ROM (PROM, AAROM, AROM, respectively), this adaptation to upper body ergometry (UBE) is hypothesized to accomplish the following objectives:
2) More rapidly improve measurable outcomes such as pain, ROM, edema, proprioception, return to unassisted activities of daily living, initial FIM (functional independent measures) scores, strength, and conditioning, and 3) Produce a significantly measurable financial impact (i.e. less overall inpatient and outpatient costs and more rapid return to vocational or avocational activities, etc.). 4) The impact on quality of life and the psychological importance of more rapid return to autonomy is a very important outcome as well, and will be included in the discussion.
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